Camden Shed

[92220]

Thanks Jol, that sounds excellent reasoning. The b&w pictures of the LNWR box show it as fairly grubby by 1960-62 as well, so hopefully that will work ok. For the ARP box, I have a glimpse in the corner of one colour shot that shows it may have been redder brick.

 

Thanks Mike. If I can do this, anyone can. Until a few months ago, I'd never built any plastic buildings, apart from the Airfix Oakham signal box when I was about 9.......built with one of those tubes of polystyrene cement and I bet I used most of it....... Be prepared to have a go, learn and occasionally discard to start afresh.

 

Iain

[the penguin of doom]

That foot bridge is so long Iain, I'll swear it should be sagging in the middle!

 

A smashing piece of modelling in my opinion.

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[92220]

Thanks Sean, praise much appreciated! It is actually slightly shorter than the real thing, but there are supports to add as well. I wanted to build it strong enough so it would support its own weight without the supports though. The shell is 60 thou plasticard and pretty rigid, though its definitely not up to a Ron Heggs testing procedure! The Regents Park Road Bridge at the north end would be, but I'm not as confident of my engineering as Ron is of his.

 

Iain

[the penguin of doom]

Ah yes.

 

The patented Heggs beer can eh? I wouldn't sell yourself too short, whilst Rons building work is something to aspire to, you're doing a fine job here. The goods warehouse you built is very nice and has been spurring me on with my similar sized project, Bridlington engine shed which is around 1 metre in length.

 

Keep up the good work.

 

Sean.

[2ManySpams]

Thanks David, that's very kind.

I used Slaters 4mm English Bond throughout. It does have a problem that, while the courses are straight horizontally, it doesn't quite line up square vertically. Basically, it's a sheet of 89/91 degree parallelograms. So on the goods depot wall, the inner sheet plus the top and bottom outer layers are laid using the horizontal course alignment as a datum. Then the narrow vertical outer sections (are these buttresses?) are laid according to the vertical alignment because otherwise they would look very odd and slanted. They're narrow enough not to look odd in the horizontal when you do this. In retrospect the SE finecast brick sheet may have been better, although it would need treating to reduce the relief somewhat.

 

Iain

Iain, glad it's not just me that had problems with the Slaters brick sheets. I found them fine for large areas of flat brick but a pig for walls or buildings with relief. I ended up swapping to the SEF sheets for just the reasons you stated but I give them a sand down first to reduce the relief. The other advantages are that the sheets are bigger and there are more brick bonds available.

 

Cracking modelling though sir.

[92220]

Thanks Chris. Do you just use fine sandpaper?

I've got some major construction to do at some point - the loco shed, the old brick water tower, offices and stores - which may be best with the SEF sheets. It might also be best to get them designed and laser cut in mdf or whatever. But that is some way into the future.

 

Not much chance to do anything the last two days, or for the next week.

 

Iain

[Benjamin Brady]

Hi

 

I am a fan of the arp boxes they have their own charm about them even if they were just boxes, partiular fan of the examples at Crewe aswell. Look forward to following the progress of the layout and seeing the finished article of the signal box.

 

Benjamin

[92220]

Thanks Ben.

 

Just got back this morning on an overnight flight so I've been doing things to prevent me from falling asleep all day!

I have got a few things done in the shed. The main section of the footbridge is complete:

 

 

Made a start on the bridge supports. They are about 6" I beams as far as I can make out, with cross braces. The best thing I had to hand was bullhead rail, and I may yet replace these with brass section instead.

 

Uprights cut to length, filed and drilled:

 

 

Uprights and one crosspiece held in position ready to be soldered:

 

 

Ready to be tidied up:

 

 

Now the 0.5mm wire can be added through the ready drilled holes, and the whole assembly tidied up. I used a lower melting point solder for this bit so as not to melt the joins already made:

 

 

 

I promise that they are a lot squarer than the camera distortion has made them seem!

 

Iain

[Jamiel]

That is lovely work, and one of the occasions where working in brass/metal really gives the fineness that plastic just doesn't achieve.

I suspect that although finer than plastic could be made, the rigidity of the metal will show through, and make the structure really look solid.

[bescotbeast]

An update on recent progress, which has stalled a little, partly because I took the chance to visit Expo EM and Railex the last two Sundays, and well worth it too. All sorts of positive comments abound in their respective threads, and I can't add a lot to those except to say that they are exceptionally good exhibitions, and I'm lucky to live close enough to attend both.

 

It was also great to meet up with a few helpful and friendly people I knew from before, among them Mike (Stationmaster), Tim and Mike Delamar, but also to meet several for the first time.

 

Jason (Sandside) - good luck for the move and keep up the inspiration for the rest of us.

 

Vincent Worthington - if you don't know what he's done, find a back copy of MRJ 172 and marvel at his portrayal of the whole of Camden Bank in EM, right the way from the station throat at Euston to Regents Park Road bridge. Vincent was very helpful and encouraging, and has offered all sorts of further assistance.

 

Jol (LNWRmodeller) - it was a pleasure to see London Road and to be able to thank you in person for the help you've given already. I bought the two LNWR signal box kits and as you will see in a moment, I've begun to make something from them.

 

Roy Jackson - Vincent introduced me to Roy and I spent a few minutes talking with him which was a great pleasure.

 

Mick Moore and Geoff Kent were also very kind in giving up their time and advice.

 

Where else can you meet the best in their field and have the benefit of such advice and interest?

 

So, on to building.....

 

I need to make both the signal boxes described in the preceding couple of pages, and have started both together. Not because they are the same - they are completely different - but because I can weld bits together and leave to completely harden before the next stage, while I attack the other box.

 

The LNWR box just south of the road bridge utilises two LRM kits on a brick base made from plasticard. The LMS type 13 ARP box is just plasticard.

 

Below are the basic shells, showing the need to marry the two etched LRM kits together. I need about 1.7 boxes but also had to go on sketchy info plus the background in the Richard Foster book.

 

image.jpg

 

Then, a couple more photos of further progress - these are need various other layers adding plus filler, detailing etc.

 

image.jpg

 

image.jpg

 

The locking room doorway of the LNWR box needs a slightly arched top. Still trying to work out the way the stairs work on the ARP box.

 

And two shots of the ARP box sitting roughly in place on the backscene board next to the goods depot. (Though the backscene board is off the layout and on the FY...)

 

image.jpg

 

image.jpg

 

Iain

Ian although it's early days on the A.R.P. box it's clear what design it is, looking forward to seeing the finished item in place.

                                     Simon

[bescotbeast]

The basic shell of the ARP box is done, seen here roughly in relation to the goods depot building.

 

image.jpg

 

image.jpg

 

image.jpg

 

Iain

So pleasing to see an L.M.S. Type 13 A.R.P. design in model form, it has to be one of the most overlooked design of box.

                                   Simon

[Andrew P]

Hi Ian, I have just been having a look at your Shed speck and it is pretty impressive, The moto here I think is don't skimp if you want a LONG TERM SHED that wont fall apart in 10 years just as the layout is finished.

 

Andy

[92220]

Ah, yes.....10 years.... You've worked out my rate of progress!

 

Iain

[Guest oldlugger]

Lovely work all round Iain that will lead to a very atmospheric layout.

 

Cheers

Simon

[92220]

Have to confess that, although I've had a bit of time this last week, the lure of the golf course in such nice weather has prevented me from doing much in the shed. But there is a bit of progress.

 

Firstly on the goods shed:

I've added all the brick inlays on the shed wall, cut and filed the decorative coping stones, painted the base coat on the walls, added the covered loading area at the rear, painted the roof a shade of dark grey, added the roof walkways and begun to make and add the handrails.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The backscene boards are off the walls at present so I've temporarily placed these buildings together to show how they look. Space is a bit tighter than the prototype but hopefully it bears some resemblance.

 

 

 

Iain

Edited July 14, 2013 by 92220

[trustytrev]

Hello,

       

the LNWR probably sourced the bricks reasonably locally. So whatever is used on other buildings of a similar period would also have been used for the signal box base. I'd be inclined to go with the goods depot colours.

 

I seem to recall reading somewhere that the LNWR manufactured most of its own materials in house where possible.For instance signal cabins,bricks,bullhead rail,signals,rolling stock, locomotives,wooden station building panels and even workers housing.Far more than any other railway company before or since.I believe they used red english bond brickwork on cabin locking rooms whenever brick built.I have seen a number of colour examples using red brick which also include blue engineers bricks at the base and for the arches of the locking room windows as well as the bullheaded bricks along the lower course of panels,Examples can be seen which are curently in use in various regions of the  former west coast main line if you look close up as the details are hard to make out otherwise.LNWR portrayed by Jack Nelson and A Pictorial Record of L.N.W.R. Signalling by Foster, Richard D may have been the sources.There are others which include colour images of LNWR boxes.Look forward to seeing more of your work.

trustytrev.

[George Leacon]

One of my favourite Sheds - I will follow this with interest.

 

Cheers.

[George Leacon]

Come to think of it, I have some photograms stored on my laptop (all taken from extensive internet searches) - I recall some of them had unusal angles, showing otherwise hidden details - I'll send you the files if you like?

[92220]

Thanks Ben, that would be great. I've got a whole load of pics but there is always the chance of more useful info.

I'll send you a pm.

Iain

[92220]

Had an interesting few days, albeit away from the layout.

 

Trip to Scotland:

 

Kingsbarns:

 

 

 

Old Course:

 

 

 

The Open Day 1:

 

 

Then I had the privilege and pleasure of visiting Vincent Worthington and viewing his remarkable EM gauge portrayal of Camden Bank - a genuine masterpiece in progress.

 

So it is back here and a few little jobs completed as I get closer to finishing the goods shed:

 

Fabricating the handrails from 0.5 brass wire:

 

 

State of play yesterday:

 

 

The walkways and handrails on the roof are now complete, plus the first drybrushing on the brickwork. I need to be careful to get this effect right, and then to add various bits of detailing. There are various boxes and bits of ironwork, plus cabling etc. I'm chipping away at it.

 

Iain

[gordon s]

Some beautiful scenic shots I can relate to.  Both courses look fabulous and one day......

 

Any chance of seeing shots of Vincent's layout or are those private, Iain?

 

It was hot out there today...

[92220]

It certainly was...... I had a tournament but had to drop out having done something to an intercostal muscle. Could hardly breathe let alone swing a club.... A bit of treatment this afternoon and it is fine now

I did get a few photos but will only post them if Vincent is happy that I do so.

 

A few more bits of detail and suddenly this thing springs to life:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starting to feel I'm getting somewhere!

 

Iain

[Jamiel]

Looking really good.

What is the gate, or railings, for along the side?

The hand rails, cabling and details added are really bringing this to life.

Jamie

[92220]

Hi Jamie,

 

Thanks.

Not a clue what that is to be honest. I've modelled it as accurately as I can given the photos I have available, but I can't see what it actually does. It might be something to do with the wall-mounted derricks that I've omitted out of necessity, since there isn't room for a siding between the goods depot wall and the up fast, in which case it might look a bit stupid...... At this point someone usually politely and gently tells me something very simple that I'd overlooked, and I feel ever so slightly thick.

 

Only have the lamps to add (cabling is already there), finalise the sign (I think it's pretty close) and weather it now.

 

Iain

[Physicsman]

Iain, what have you used to weather your ballast? Looks very good in post # 272.

 

Jeff